Canadian Developers, be first in the Windows 8 Store

Canadian Developers, be first in the Windows 8 Store

Microsoft announced that the Windows 8 Store will be expanding to new markets. So now there is no excuse not to start building your cool Windows 8 app.We also announced that our next Windows 8 milestone, the Windows Release Preview, will be made available the first week of June. We want to help developers building great apps in these markets take advantage of the momentum of Windows 8. Windows Consumer Preview has already been downloaded millions of times by people in more than 200 markets. Release Preview next month is your chance to get your app in front of all of those early adopters – and here’s how you can!

How can I submit my app?

We’ve worked hard to make it simple and to ensure that we help you to build a high-quality application. If your app is complete or is functional and you want to be among those developers with the ability to submit to the store before the rest of the general public, you simply need to attend one of the FREE Application Excellence Labs that the Developer and Platform Evangelism and Windows teams are holding here in Canada. We’ll provide you an invitation “token” to register and submit your app to the pre-release of Windows 8.

How Do I Receive an Invitation to the App Excellence Lab?

A brief application description (no binary, optional screenshot, but only send if the screenshot is not confidential)

We will respond and let you know where and when the closest lab will be.

Important note: While the lab will run similar tests to the Store, it is not a replacement for the Store certification process. That still happens when you ultimately submit your app.

So what happens at the AE Lab?

The lab is an up to 4-hour engagement with a trained Microsoft Services Engineer. This engineer will run your app through a series of tests based on a quality checklist to ensure your app is (or will be) in top-notch shape when you submit. You will also get a chance discuss ways to make your app even better and you will get answers to any questions you might have. You will receive a token to register your developer account and you will be able to submit your app to the Windows store.